Judge orders Trump admin to update site, uphold TPS rights for Venezuelans

President Donald Trump's administration must update its immigration services website to reflect that 600,000 Venezuelans with temporary protected status are legally allowed to live and work in the United States, a federal judge ordered.

US District Judge Edward Chen ordered Trump's Republican administration to change its US Citizenship and Immigration Services website after plaintiffs' lawyers said temporary protected status holders were still in detention centres or unable to return to work even after his September 5 judgment in favour of plaintiffs. Chen said on Thursday his September 5 order in favor of TPS holders went into effect immediately.

That ruling found Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem had unlawfully canceled temporary protected status, or TPS, extensions granted by President Joe Biden's Democratic administration for 1.1 million Venezuelans and Haitians.

 

TPS is a designation that can be granted by the Homeland Security secretary to people in the United States if their homelands are deemed unsafe for return due to a natural disaster, political instability or other dangerous conditions.

William Weiland, an attorney with the Department of Justice, said the judge had not ordered the government to update its website. Weiland also argued in court documents that the September 5 judgment did not take effect immediately unless specifically ordered.

Chen said in his Thursday order that the rule cited by the government did not apply to these types of cases. The previous day, he denied the government's request to stay his judgment while it appeals.

Lawyers for plaintiffs say people with temporary protected status are at risk of losing their jobs and more. They submitted a court declaration stating that a San Antonio man detained in May was told he will not be released until the website is updated.

Another declaration is from a TPS holder who has worked in an Amazon warehouse for three years. The person was told by human resources that a copy of the Sept. 5 court order and letter from an immigration attorney was not enough to authorise employment.